We’re thrilled to announce our Spring event series, College Perspectives, presented by students for students. From now through April, we’ll host a free virtual event each month, featuring panels of inspiring college students from around the globe who are driving change in the fight against plastic pollution.
This series is designed to shine light on the diverse paths students can take to continue making an impact in this movement beyond high school. We believe students are the key to a sustainable future, and what better way to inspire the next generation than by highlighting their peers who are leading the charge?
Whether it’s through community organizing, groundbreaking research, or creative “artivism,” there are countless ways to tackle the plastics crisis and develop meaningful solutions. These panels are your chance to hear directly from peers, ask questions, spark new ideas, and discover how to align your passions and experiences into a unique eco-career path after graduation.
SERIES SCHEDULE:
This panel features three incredible college students and recent graduates who are addressing plastic pollution through innovative and interdisciplinary research. From ecological studies to cultural analysis, this panel will highlight how science and sociology intersect to address the global plastic crisis. Join us to discover how interdisciplinary research can be an important tool in understanding plastics and their impact on communities at a deeper level. The panelists include:
Hannah Sherrod: Master’s student studying Marine Vertebrate Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter in England
Chloe McKenna: Recent Master’s graduate from the University of Edinburgh, whose thesis explored the socio-ecological and cultural impacts of marine plastic pollution on Scottish island communities
Trina Miller: Recent graduate with a BS in Biology. Her research was focused on monitoring marine debris in the rocky intertidal zone in San Pedro, CA.
REGISTER HERE
In the second event of our “College Perspectives” series, we’ll showcase the inspiring stories of three student leaders who are raising awareness, fostering education, and creating culturally specific solutions to address the plastics crisis. Meet the panelists:
Diego Arreola Fernández: Originally from Mexico and currently attending college in Canada, Diego co-founded Green Speaking, an organization that plans conferences and events with the goal of empowering youth to become climate action leaders
Pius Seda: Founder of Greenify Global, Pius is a college student in Malawi organizing local workshops and conferences for youth as part of a larger United Nations program.
Sulaiman Abubakar Umar: Based in northeastern Nigeria, Sulaiman organizes community events and culturally specific handouts to raise awareness about plastic pollution in his rural community
REGISTER HERE
For the grand finale of our “College Perspectives” series, we’re diving into a powerful pathway for environmental advocacy: the arts. This event explores how creativity and activism can inspire change, raise awareness, and foster a deeper connection to the environment that goes beyond the traditional sciences. Featuring a panel of inspiring college students, this discussion will showcase how artivism—whether through visual art, performance, storytelling, or other creative outlets—can be a transformative force in addressing the plastics crisis and beyond. Meet the panelists:
Rae Landriau: Rae is a Climate Education Facilitator with Youth Climate Lab based in Ottawa, Canada leveraging the sciences and the arts to inspire lasting change in youth
Shamsuddeen Abdulkareem: Founder of Eco Poets, a student led project aimed at using poetry as a tool to change the mindsets of his community members around climate change and other environmental issues in and beyond Kano State, Nigeria
Panelist 3: TBA
REGISTER HERE
